Apply For A Conference Or Training Grant

Before You Apply For A Conference Or Training Grant:

Please note the following before applying for a conference or training grant:

The Trust will only approve applications from less developed countries (i.e. Africa, Asia, South America, etc).
Citizens of Africa, Asia and South America who are currently studying towards PhDs in Europe, USA and Australasia are eligible to apply if they can provide clear evidence that they will return to their home countries on completion of their studies.
The conference topic and the focus for training must be agricultural crop improvement; typically a food crop.
The applicant should have secured partial funding from another source. The Trust will not normally provide all costs, that is, registration or course fees, accommodation and travel costs.
Visa applications for the USA and UK take a long time to be processed. Therefore applicants wishing to travel to the USA and / or UK must submit their application form and all required documentation at least three months before the conference or training course start date. For all other destinations, the applicant should submit their application at least two months before the conference or training course start date.
Those awarded a conference attendance or training grant cannot apply for another grant for a further four years.
All scientists in reciept of a conference attendance or training grant are required to submit a short report to the Trust within two months of their return to their country of residence.
Please submit the completed application with additional documentation by e-mail only (postal applications are not required) to Pat Waters. Please note that from time to time, undue pressure on the Trust's limited administrative resources requires the Trust to suspend the scheme at short notice. Please re-check the Trust's website just before you apply to confirm the Trust is currently accepting applications. At present, the Trust is currently accepting applications.
Once a grant has been approved by the Trustees, the applicant should obtain any visas needed for travel. No monies will be disbursed until the Trust receives confirmation that visas have been secured.
The Trust must receive an invoice for all payments. If exceptional circumstances require payments to be made retrospectively, all receipts should be scanned and sent to the Trust as e-mail attachments.
Economy class travel should be booked with an airline or reputable travel agent. The Trust will pay these costs directly to the airline or travel agent by an international bank transfer.
If payment of registration and course fees or accommodation costs is approved, the payment will normally be made direct to the agencies concerned. However, if the applicant has to make these payments, the Trust will reimburse the applicant to the amount approved by the Trustees.

For Attendance At A Conference:

The applicant should send a copy of the abstract for the oral presentation along with the application form and other documentation.
The applicant should have written confirmation that they have been invited to give an oral presentation before they apply to the Trust. Grants are not available for scientists planning to present a poster at a conference.
The Trust will not normally fund a per diem rate or out-of-pocket expenses associated with conference attendance. If this is an issue for the applicant, s/he should consider another funding source for these costs.

For Attendance At A Training Course:

The applicant should send a copy of the course programme along with the application form and other documentation.
The applicant should have received written confirmation that they have already been acceptance on the course, before they apply to the Trust.
The training course must be relevant to the scientist's current research interests, and it must also be of clear benefit to his / her country of origin / residence.

Why Some Applications Are Rejected:

The trust rejects two thirds of all applications received. Please read this document for reasons why this is so.

Download Application Forms:

Conference Grant Application Form - Once you have filled out this form in full, please e-mail your application to Pat Waters.
Training Grant Application Form - Once you have filled out this form in full, please e-mail your application to Pat Waters.

Download Report Forms:

Conference Attendance Grant Report Form - Upon completion of your visit, you should submit a completed copy of this form to Pat Waters.
Training Grant Report Form - Upon completion of your visit, you should submit a completed copy of this form to Pat Waters.